No One Is Really Going to Try and Stop This

At this point in my life, I need to start putting some real thought and energy into what these last years will look like, and into how to try and get through the days and survive what's coming.  It doesn't appear that anyone has either the ability, the knowledge of how, or the willingness to try and stop Trump from destroying the American Democracy.  

There's certainly an awareness of what's going on and how he's doing it, and there are plenty of Americans who, drowining in their own ignorance and prejudice, support what Trump does.  The opposition has marched, held rallies, "No Kings" parades, with increasing fervor and participation and there are some politicians, a few in Congress, mostly in the states, who are speaking out and keeping it in front of the people as best they can in the face of a controlled, bought and paid for press that is no longer free.  A few have offered suggestions as to what can be done, with excuses of why there's not much that can be done.  

But no one is making a real effort to put a stop to it, even with the power that is at hand.  

I really hate sounding cynical, but I've resigned myself to the fact that, just a few years short of my 70th birthday, I will probably never see America be the Democracy that it was when I was growing up, and into my adult years.  Those who control 99% of the wealth in this country have been enabled to slowly but surely suffocate "we, the people," with their money and the influence it has bought them, and it doesn't really seem like there is a way back.  There is a lot of talk, but there is no real action at all.  

If there is, please point it out.  

Every mention I see or hear from Democrats who are once again hollering about the threat that Trump poses to "our democracy" is wrapped up in a fundraising appeal.  That''s the real focus, convincing voters that they have to get back in power, not on actually doing something themselves.  I gave what was to me a small fortune prior to 2020 and 2024, and I'm not sure what I got for it.  We had a huge opportunity when the Democratic party controlled both Houses of Congress and the Presidency from 2021 to 2023, and  business as usual and the old status quo shut down whatever chance we had.  And now here we are, and it's too late.  

We've had some pretty savvy, intelligent, expert individuals outline exactly how Trump plans to interfere in the mid-term elections.  He's announcing his plans publicly, which says something about what he thinks of his opposition in Congress.  He knows how bad the numbers are, and he knows that if the elections go on as usual, his side loses in a landslide, including in deep red states where public opinion has shifted, or at least where it appears that the couch sitters from 2024 are going to actually vote.  Everything he has said he will do is unconstitutional and illegal, and so far, that's all I'm hearing and seeing.  

Are people so blatantly and inexcusably ignorant of the Constitution that they do not know elections are under the control of the state and there is nothing Trump can do to change that without completely altering the Constitution?  But what it looks like is the same excuse we've been hearing for over a year now, "Give money, help us get elected, because he's a threat to our Democracy."  

Why not take the necessary steps to make sure the law is enforced and he can't interfere in the business of any state when it comes to running elections?  

And for those who may need to find some inspiration for standing up to the bully and actually doing something more than march or protest, let Senator Mark Kelly be an example for you.  He can't do it alone, but he took on Trump and his crony Hegseth, and he beat them.  

And so at this point, the question, "Well, what do you suggest?" is inevitable.  Well, suggestion one is to find the weak spots among Republicans in Congress and go on the attack, relentlessly, until there are enough to commit to getting Mike Johnson out of the Speaker's chair.  The Republicans have frequently used various forms of chaos around the rules and stonewalled things to death when they were the minority.  Surely there's enough money lying around in the hands of Democrats to create havoc and keep it going in order to put a stop to this madness.  

Here's the bottom line for me.  I've spent a lot of time in my life teaching civics and history to students who are increasingly lacking in critical thinking skills because the education they are receiving doesn't seem to be teaching those any more.  A free press, which has been bought out from under us by billionaries, and a strong educational system existing to provide an educated and informed electorate in this country were once the cornerstones of our Democracy, and we don't have either of those things in place any more.  That's why an amoral, unethical demagogue like Trump got elected, that and the votes he stole in swing states in both 2016 and 2024, a fact that went completely unchallenged in the face of massive evidence.  We need both of those things to sustain it once we get our Democracy back.  And we don't have them.  

We can talk on message boards and write blog poists and wear ourselves out doing it.  Nothing is going to change unlesss those who can change it are willing to do so.